Wing folding arrangement for submersible aircraft



' June 29, 1948. E. BRIGGS ETAL `June 29, 1948.

E. BRIGGs ETAL' 4 2,444,332

WING FOLDING ARRANGEMENT FOR SUBMERSIBLE AIRCRAFT Filed Dec. 7, 1944 s'sheetssheet 2 INVENToRs 'CHS ATTOR NEX June 29, 1948. E. BRlGGs ET AL WING FOLDING ARRANGEMENT FOR SUBMERSIBLE AIRCRAFT 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. '7, 1944 INVENTORS Ear-l Brnqqs BY i? ATTozA/EY.

June 29, 1948. E. BRIGGS ET'AL y 2,444,332

WING FOLDING ARRANGEMENT FOR SUBMERSIBLE AIRCRAFT Filed Dec. '7, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS. Ear-I Brqqs Her-bert C. Recicll'nq A TTORNE K June 29, 1948. E. BRIGGS ET AL 2,444,332 WING FOLDING ARRANGEMENT FOR SUBMERSIBLE AIRCRAFT Filed Dec. '7, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IUIIIHI lll/'IIIIIH la INVENTUM l Earl Bmqqs Herbgrt' C. Recldmq ATTORNEK Patented June 29, 1948 OFFICE WING FOLDING ARRANGEMENT Foa sUBMERsIBLE AIRCRAFT Earl Briggs and Herbert C. Redding, New York, N. Y.

Application December 7, 1944, Serial No. 567,068

This invention Arelates to new and'useful improvements in a submersible aircraft.

More particularly, the invention proposes a new and improved submersible aircraft which may travel in the air, on the surface of water aswell as beneath'the Water surface.

It is proposed toA characterize the new and improved submersible aircraft by the fact that it is provided lwith wings which are extended for flight in the air and which are folded into the sides of the fuselage-like body of the vessel when traveling on the surface of water, or beneath the water surface. A

The invention proposes a novel overhead power drive with propellers for aerial flight. For traveling on, or under water, a marine drive is proposed.

The invention contemplates the use of an internal combustion engine for supplying power while traveling in the air and on the surface of Water.

The invention also contemplates providing the fuselage-like body of the submersibleaircraft with numerous chambers and compartments for housing various apparatus and other objects usually used in airplanes and submarines, It is proposed to provide a submersive navigators chamber, an aerial pilot control chamber, as Well as chambers |and compartments 'for gunners, and other personnel.

Still further the invention proposes a novel arrangement by which theside wings are extended and retracted and housed within the fuselage-like body.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel featureshof the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying 'drawings forming a material'part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a submersible aircraft as it y.appears during flight.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view. of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the submersible aircraft as it would appear when `submerged.

Fig. 5 is a bottom View of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view through'the front portion of the submersible aircraft.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudi- 3 Claims. (Cl. 244-49) 2 nal sectional view through the rear portion of the submersible aircraft.

Fig.v 8 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l0 is a schematic wiring diagram of the mechanism `from one side of the craft used to open and close the doors illustrated in Figs. 8

and 9.

The submersible aircraft, in accordance with this invention includes a fuselage-like body II) 'having slit-like chambers II in its sides for receiving foldable side Wings I2. `The side wings I2 are pivotally mounted upon vertical pintles Ill so that they may pivot from the full position shown in Fig. 2 to the dash line positions. The pintles I4 are connected with mechanism for pivoting the wings I2 preferably electric motor driven drives as hereinafter described. Y

' An Overhead propeller drive I6 is mounted upon thetop of the fuselage I0. This drive includes a cylindrical body I1 extending longitudinally of the fuselage-like body I0 and provided with propellers I8 at the front and the back. These propellers are driven by a shaft I9 connected by a suitable transmission 20 with an internal combustion motor 2l mounted within the fuselage.

The propelling means for driving the craft on water includes a marine drive and a suitable transmission mechanism -23 for connection with the motor 2|.

The wings I2 are provided with the usual ailerons 24. The fuselage-like body I0 is provided with a tail 25 having the usual rudders and elevators and a marine rudder 26. The body Ill -is also"provided with a submersive navigators chamber 30, an aerial pilots chamber 3IA and a 'unners'chamber- 32.l A periscope 33 projects from the navigators chamber 30. The top of the ybody I0 'is provided with an escape hatch 34.

Guns 35 are mounted in the front of body I0.' It is contemplated that these guns Will be slidably mounted so that they can be retracted into the body. These gunsgare mounted on extendible and retractable gun'slides 36. The craft has the usual torpedo tubes 31. There is a bombv rack 38. Torpedoes 39 are mounted within the body. An air pump 40 and ballast tanks are also provided. Large gas tanks 4I serve to store the fuel needed. The fuselage-like body I0 is also provided with a tail skid 42. The back of the body has the usual tail gunners turret guns 44.

The chambers II for the side wings I2 are pro- 3 vided with sliding doors 5l). Each chamber has a top door 50 and a bottom door 5D which move towards each other for closing the chamber. These doors 50 are connected by rods 5I with solenoids 52 for closing said doors. Springs 53 are also connected with the rods '5I for opening said doors. The springs 53 resiliently urge said doors into'open'positions. Whenthesolenoids 52 are energized the doors 50 will be4 closed. E'ach pintle I4 is connected with a gear speed reduction unit 55 which in turn is connected with an electric motor 56 by which the side wings I2 are Imoved from their open to their foldedpositions,

and back again.

A push button switch 60 is mounted within each chamber I I. Each push button switch-Guisconnected in a circuit 6I for controlling. the sole-- noids 52 0f the doors 50 of sai-d chambers II, The

solenoids 52 are connected in parallel in the cir` 'I'he operation ofthe submersible aircraft is as follows:

When the sider wings are extendedl the submersible aircraft may be used in aerial zight. It isfoperated inthe usual way that an airplane is operated. Forridingv on the water, or submerging, the submersible aircraft is operatedjust like asubmarine. The` side Wings I2 are folded intothe compartments I I so as not to interfere with water operation. The electric mot-ors '56 may bewenergizedto pivot=the wings I 2. When the wings I2.reach positions completely within the side -compartments I I they engageF the push button switches 60, as schematically-illustrated in Fig. 9 closing the circuit BI -which controls the solenoidsr 52, which in turn close the doors '50. The doors v5I]v remain closedy as long as the side wings` I2 engage the'switches 60. When it isy desired to exten-d thev side Wings the-motors 56v are operated to Apivot the side wings I2- outwards. As soon asfthey move away from the-push button switches 60, thecircuits 6|will beopened and the solenoids 6-2 will bev deenergiZed and the springs 53 will openthe-door 50, which permits thevside-'wings I2 to pass out from thecham bers I I. A'battery 61a is vprovided for supplying current to the` circuits 6 I While we haveillustrated. and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, itis to be understood: that we: do 4`not limit ourselves to theprecise constructions herein disclosed `and the right-iszreserved -tov all changes land modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in theiappen-ded claims Having; thus described'our. invention, what we claim asenew, and` desire to :secure by United States Letters Patent ,ist

1; In. a submersible aircraft, afusel'age-like bodyv having slit-like chambers in its sides-for receiving foldable side Wings, side wings pivotallyz mounted" on said-.body for folding into said chambers, means for pivoting said side wings, doors for closing-said chambers,v push button switches within l said chambers adapted to be pushedby said 'Wings when said wings are. folded into saidchambers and to be released when said wings are moved out of said chambers, solenoids controlled by said push button switches, said solenoidsbeing energized when said push buttons are ,pushed by said wings to close said doors and 4 when said push buttons are released, said solenoids being deenergized to release said doors, springs for urging said doors open, and electric circuits including said switches and said solenoids in parallel, and a battery for supplying current to said circuits.

2. In a submersible aircraft, a fuselage-like lbody havingfsltdikechambers-'in'its sides for receiving foldable side-wings, side wings pivotally mounted on said body for folding into said chambers, means for pivoting said side wings, doors.- for. closing said chambers, push button switchesl within said chambers adapted to be pushed by said wings when said wings are folded into saidichambers and to be released when said wings are moved out of said chambers, solenoidscontrolledbysaid push button switches, said solenoids being energized when said push buttons are pushed by said wings to close said doors and when said push buttons are released, saidv'solenoids being deenergized to release said doors, springs for urging said doors open,.and electric circuitsy including said switchesA and solenoids in parallel, and a battery for supplying ycurrent to said circuits, said meansr forvpivoting said wings including pintles for-pivotally supporting said-wings, an-d electric motor drivenfmeansefor turning'saidipintles.

3f In a submersible, aircraft, afuselage-like body having s1itlike' chambersin its sides for receiving foldable side wings, said Wings pivotvally mounted onfsaid body'for folding into said chambers, means for pivoting said side wings, doors foro-losing saidchambers, pushv button switchesl within said chambers adapted to be pushed byfsaid wings when said wings are folded into said chambers and to be released when said-wings aremoved out of saidchambers, solenoi-ds controlled by said push button switches, said solenoids being energized when said push buttons are pushed by said wings to close said doors 'and when said push buttons are released, said solenoids `being deenergized to release'- said doors; springs for urging said doors open, and electric circuits `including saidswitches andsolenoids in paralleL--and a battery for supplying currentl to said circuits, saidmeansjfor pivoting said wings including pintles for pivotally supporting said wings, and electric motor driven means for turning said pintles, said doors being slide doors Working across the-front ends of said chambers` The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

vUNriutD STATES PATENTS France May 10,' 1937 

